[armando_troian]

i`m new around here so please excuse me if my writing is full of mistakes (i`m from romania)
ontopic:
i made my heater control panel from 3mm thick plexiglass
if you have further questions or i`m not telling everything please ask me

step1 : the design (if you need the source file - vectorial, please ask on pm)

step2 : the plexiglass - laser engraved

step3 : open the original control panel (carefully beacuse it`s old and you can crack it very esy. there are 2 models - one made until 1988 on mk2 and one afer 1988 until 1992 - the oldest are better beacuse they are stronger ... i think the plastic used is a better quality)

step4 : try to pull out the contact pins

step5: attach a wire to the pins you have pulled out from the panel

step6: try to put back the pins

step7: fill the gap from the light bulb with some glue

step8: try to cut with a cutter or something the 2 pieces of plastic useless to the project

step9: on the back of the plexiglass aply a PVC black film

step10: get 6 3mm led bulbs

step11: use some sandpaper to obtain the right form to led bulbs

step12: this requires some skills - a lot of patience - i used wire from an UTP - PC Network Cable

use some glue to asamble the panel back ... (i used acrylic glue - be carefull with that glue - it can destroy the plexiglass panel
and the final result (i`ve made a lot of this panels for my mk2 friends in romania)

 

[A2JettaGLI18]

Re: DIY: Heater control panel LED illumination (armando_troian)

OMG....seriously, how much would you charge to make one for me. That looks so good yet so intimidating.

AMAZING JOB...much better than factory

 

[VWSyd]

Re: DIY: Heater control panel LED illumination (armando_troian)

This is amazing, by far the best one I've seen. Where do you get the plexiglass laser etched like that? This really inspires me to redo mine!

 

[armando_troian]

the plexiglass engraved was around 10$ ... the rest (leds + resistor 2$)

 

[VWSyd]

Re: (armando_troian)

Where did you get it engraved? Are there a lot of places you can do that? Again, great job!

 

[armando_troian]

i`m from romania... i know a few places around here. in the US ... it`s hard to say but you should try to advertising companies - they should give you an answer .... or someone working in this domain

 

[VWSyd]

Re: (armando_troian)

Ahh, didn't realize you are still in Romania. Cool cool, I will have to look around.

 

[bodhi_tree777]

Re: DIY: Heater control panel LED illumination (A2JettaGLI18)

Quote, originally posted by A2JettaGLI18 »

OMG....seriously, how much would you charge to make one for me. That looks so good yet so intimidating. AMAZING JOB...much better than factory

+1 on that, really nice work.
I suspect custom etching like that would cost quite a bit more than $10-12 in North America, although I'm guessing. Anyone know anyone stateside that has access to an engraver?

 

[armando_troian]

i have to ask how much would cost the shipping to us

if you can`t find someone to help you with the plexi

 

[bodhi_tree777]

Re: (armando_troian)

Quote, originally posted by armando_troian »

i have to ask how much would cost the shipping to us if you can`t find someone to help you with the plexi

Honestly, if you quote a price for the whole custom set-up shipped to the US, I'd be willing to bet that you'd sell at least a few on here. I'd buy one if it was reasonable.

to some ingenuity.

 

[Fankii-T]

Re: (bodhi_tree777)

This is a good write up! We need more of this on here http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif Look superb, I would easily pay you to make on, cause this is just bad ass

 

[e30edward]

Re: (Fankii-T)

Great write-up! http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif

 

[morimori]

Re: DIY: Heater control panel LED illumination (armando_troian)

Very Nice!!!

http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif
I used Corrado panel when I insalled LEDs.

 

[OSD#15]

There are places in malls that do plastic engraving. The places that make those cheesy license plate frames that say dumb **** like -daddy bought it, i got it!-

 

[GLiwant a vr6]

Re: (armando_troian)

awsome job!!!! http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif best ive seen

 

[WhiteScirocco]

Re: DIY: Heater control panel LED illumination (armando_troian)

So did you do the engraving yourself? If so and you are interested i would like to buy a few dozen off of you if possable. I can make it worth your time in $$$ too.
Let me know,
Stuart

 

[GLiwant a vr6]

Re: (GLiwant a vr6)

hey would you be able to make both sets of these for me?

Modified by GLiwant a vr6 at 10:20 AM 1-17-2009

 

[CodeMan]

Re: DIY: Heater control panel LED illumination (armando_troian)

Excellent job, and great write-up. Thanks!

 

[Op-Ivy]

WOW! Beautiful! Nice work!

 

[armando_troian]

Ok boys, the next week ia have to make some models for a corrado for some friends in romania, but i will try to make another round for golf2 with GTI emblem on it . the problem is not the plexiglass ... is the original panels

... that will be a problem.
we will make it ... i have to ask for the shipping costs ...


Modified by armando_troian at 9:04 PM 1-17-2009